United States Seniors: Bad Advice about Medicare All Over U.S. National Public Radio Web Sites

National Public Radio (NPR) and preumbably its affiliates all over the U.S. are putting out web page after web page of bad information about Medicare. This is not surprising given the left-wing government-funded propaganda outlet's decade-long attack on Medicare Parts C and D. This recent NPR station's article supposedly provided 10 items that were important for seniors to remember. Here are five more important things that the article intentionally left out that Medicare beneficiaries really need to know about Medicare.

1. The specific timeframe October 15-December 7 is “a once-a-year opportunity” only if you are among a relatively small group that is not on Medicaid or Social Security Extra Help or a state pharmaceutical assistance program, or does not get insurance from a former employer or union. If you are in one of these latter groups your “opportunity” has either already passed or happens as often as every month
2. Original Medicare is not a choice. Everyone on Medicare has to begin by choosing Original Medicare. Within Original Medicare you could choose Part A or Part B. But if you want an individually purchased supplement – and almost everyone does – you need to have both A and B. Your former employer or union will probably require it also
3. No part of Medicare is “managed by the federal government.” Or all parts of Medicare are managed by the federal government. It depends on what you feel “managed by” means. The most accurate way to say it would be that all four Parts of Medicare – A, B, C and D -- follow federal government rules but are administered by private insurance companies.
4. Original Medicare is not the same as “traditional Medicare.” As per point 2, Original Medicare is Parts A and B. Everyone on Medicare has one or the other and almost everyone has both. Traditional Medicare refers to getting your health care from any provider who accepts Medicare; that provider is paid for each service performed in the “traditional” way health care has always been paid for.
5. No one “must choose” a separate prescription drug plan. It’s a good idea and it almost surely will save you money in the long run but unlike with people not on Medicare, there is no mandate to take drug insurance or even to take Medicare.